The present invention relates generally to the field of devices for holding a fishing rod in place, and, more particularly, to a clamping device for easily securing one or more fishing rods in a preselected position on a support surface for storage or transport of the rod(s).
Fishing rods, by their nature tend to be awkward and difficult to maintain temporarily in a given position for storage or transport when the rods are in their fully assembled, elongated state. This is the case because of the usual extreme length and flexibility of such rods and the weight in balance caused by having a handle and reel on one end thereof. Of course a degree of care must be used in handling a rod, which can be damaged if handled too roughly, dropped or smashed, and to avoid accidental entanglement with the fishing line and hook. Accordingly there is an established need for a device to securely and easily maintain a fishing rod in its assembled state for storage, such as on a garage wall, and transport, such as in a camper, truck or on an open boat deck.
Accordingly, it is among the several advantages of the present invention that it provides a simple, efficient and economical device for quickly and easily securing one or more fishing rods in a preselected position to a support surface such as a wall, deck or ceiling.
It is further among the advantages of the present invention, having the features indicated, that the new fishing rod holder be useful in combinations of two or more such holders and that it be capable of use to retain one or more fishing rods, with or without fishing lines attached, in a specific position at a particular site until selectively removed from the holder(s).
Accordingly, in furtherance of the above goals, the present invention is, briefly, a device and method for using same for supporting a fishing rod or other similarly rod-shaped object in a preselected position in relation to a structural surface. The device includes a base adapted for attachment to the structural surface and a body connected to the base. The body is formed to receive and retain a portion of the fishing rod to thereby permit selective securement and release thereof in a preselected position on the structural surface.
The invention is further, briefly, a fishing tackle accessory kit having at least two fishing rod holders, the holders each including a device for supporting a fishing rod in a preselected position in relation to a structural surface. The device has a base adapted for attachment to the structural surface and a body connected to the base. The body is formed to receive and retain a portion of the fishing rod to thereby permit selective securement and release of the fishing rod or any other rod-shaped object in a preselected position on the structural surface.
Further, in the invention, the base is an elongated substantially flat rigid piece having a first wide side surface and an opposed second wide side surface and an outer side wall extending between and connecting the first wide surface and the second wide surface.
Also, in the invention, briefly, the base has paired longitudinal grooves formed from the first wide surface through the second wide surface. The grooves are positioned spacedly from one another and longitudinally outwardly from the center of the base. The first part of the body has first and second opposed surfaces which extend between and intersect the first end and the second end of the first part of the body and the second part of the body has first and second opposed surfaces which extend between and intersect the first end and the second end of the second part of the body, the second surface of the first part of the body and the first surface of the second part of the body being disposed substantially parallel, adjacent and coextensively when the device is in the normal closed, operating position. In this case, the body has projections on the second surface of the second part of the body, the projections being sized and spaced so as to be capable of sliding interconnection with the longitudinal grooves formed through the base, to thereby selectively releasably interconnect the body to the base.
Other advantages will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.